Brian O’Hara, President of the North Carolina Offshore Wind Coalition , issued the following statement today following news about the signing of Executive Order 96 creating the Offshore Wind Economic Development Task Force.
“I am impressed with the vision shown by Governor Bev Perdue today in recognizing the potential economic benefits of offshore wind to the state of North Carolina. Responsibly developing our offshore wind resource can create thousands of jobs, keep more money in our local economies, enhance our nation’s energy security, and deliver clean, stable-priced, home-grown energy. North Carolina has, by far, the largest offshore wind resource on the East Coast and is uniquely positioned to be a major player in the industry supply chain, but the state must take action before those jobs go somewhere else. The Offshore Wind Economic Development Task Force created by Governor Perdue will be an important tool that will allow state leaders to understand the costs and benefits of offshore wind and make an informed decision about how the state should proceed in attracting this emerging industry. Offshore wind has been a non-partisan issue with support across the political spectrum and I applaud Governor Perdue and our legislative leaders, both Republican and Democrat, for showing vision and leadership on this enormous opportunity for North Carolina.”
[mappress]
Source: ncoffshorewind, July 01, 2011